How Do I hang Cabinets under a beam?

[ssbeale8]

Between the kitchen and living room, I have a 12' breakfast bar and I want to hang cabinets over it underneath the beam supporting the upper floor. Do I build a rack to hold them?

[HayZee518]

you can screw them to the beam then build out a soffit just for looks

[ssbeale8]

the cabinets won't pull apart with a load inside?

[pushkins]

You need to be really careful when hanging cabinets from a ceiling, there is almost always something to screw the cabinets into, the problem arises with the cabinets. Check to see that the top of your cabinets have a thick piece of material not just thin ply as it's upper cover, if you have this then it's fairly easy, for best results find a piece of wood the same thickness to fill out the difference between the upper cabinet top and the outside face and sides (usually this is about 1/4" - 1/2") lay this piece into the top of the upper cabinets and then screw through it all and into the ceiling joists/beam.

You need to have at least two screws in the front and back of each cabinet, so you may have to add some wood into the ceiling space if it is accessible.
If it's not and you can only screw "say" the back into a beam, then use toggles to attach the front.
Make sure you also screw each cabinet to the next cabinet as well.

[ssbeale8]

Yes, but this is not a ceiling, it's a dropped beam supporting the floor above. It's only 3 1/2" wide before drywall and I think the cabinets may be unstable. the cavity on the top is closer to 1 1/2" so that may help stablize the box if I fill that solid and glue & screw them in.

[HayZee518]

I thought about it and yes the cabinet would wobble on the beam. I made up a drawing that requires you to make a 2x2 frame out from the beam to hang your cabinet. the front of the frame could be covered with sheet rock and painted. the back of the cabinet, because it isn't finished could be sheet rock if you wish or a matching wood panel or panelling.

[ssbeale8]

Yes, this is what I was thinking I would have to do, but above the cabinets is an open handrail from the floor above.

[HayZee518]

yes, that does create a problem. then about the only thing I see is using the 2x4's to reinforce the cabinet(s) top, place a false luaun top panel on the exposed part of the cabinet(s) Use three 3/8" lag bolts into the beam per cabinet. as far as support against wobble - guess there isn't any :-(

[pushkins]

Make a frame wide enough to support the cabinet top and lag bolt that frame to the bottom left hand side of the beam. The cabinets then can be hung from the beam and frame and the top side of the frame could be finished in pine and painted to blend.

[ssbeale8]

Thanks guys, I knew it wasn't going to be easy.